Pence criticized China’s global infrastructure drive, known as the Belt And Road Initiative, calling many of the projects low quality that also saddle developing countries with loans they can’t afford.

The United States, a democracy, is a better partner than authoritarian China, he said.

Xi, who spoke before Pence, said countries are facing a choice of cooperation or confrontation as protectionism and unilateralism spreads.

“The rules made should not be followed or bent as one sees fit and they should not be applied with double standards for selfish agendas,” Xi said.